After Will's defeat, he quietly asked the cleric for a recovery pill while doing his best to stay standing. Taking the pill, Will felt vitality flow back into his body. Feeling the energy, Will felt alert. His mana pool's slowed circulation began to rampage again, swirling faster and faster. As his mana whirlpool regained its ferocity, Will could feel his mana flowing into his body. As his mana whirlpool refilled, the wooziness left his mind and he stood firm.

Alice vont Ellis walked over to Will

"I've never seen someone do, what you did to my flood. You really are amazing," she said oddly

Will decided to be honest and replied, "Well I used all my mana to cast [earthquake]. It took the rest of my strength to keep standing."

"When the first-year class heard you'd been admitted and were living on campus as a disciple of Grandmaster Thaddeus, many people thought you wouldn't be this good this soon. You surprised a lot of people," she said. Congratulating Will for not being mediocre.

After the duel, the King's Box flew into discussion on the impressive duel between Alice and Will.

"Count vont Ellis, congratulations on your daughter's victory," said Grandmaster Thaddeus graciously.

"As congratulations to you as well Grandmaster Thaddeus, your disciple is truly impressive," said Count vont Ellis returning the compliment.

"What an impressive duel. They mirror the third-year duels," said Duke Whitby.

"Yes, yes, what impressive students you have this year Headmaster Abe. Congratulations indeed to Count vont Ellis and Grandmaster Thaddeus!"

Headmaster Abe, Count vont Ellis, and Grandmaster Thaddeus all bowed their heads and said thank you.

The king and dignitaries talked in the box a few minutes longer. Agreeing this year had some exceptional talents. The King's entourage made a line blocking guests as the king excited the academy back to the capital.

Will's parents met him on the bottom of the arena floor, amongst other nobles vying for his and Alice's attention. While Will was polite, Alice did not speak, did not address the other nobles, and not caring at all for the kind remarks of others. In fact, Alice was nonchalant, until her father and mother reminded her to be gracious at which she grumbled pleasantries to each congratulator.

As Will, Rebecca, and their parents stood greeting people besides the vont Ellis. The vont Whitby's greeted both families and Alice and Elizabeth seemed to gossip quietly, look at Will, and then continue to discuss something. Will unfazed by their 'weird' glances, continued to politely greet guest and after guest. Finally, when the last of the well-wishers excited, the vont Whitbys, Ellises, and Ballards remained on the arena floor. Noticing that only the three families remained Duke Whitby asked if they'd like to eat dinner together. Since Alice and Elizabeth were classmates, and the Emilia, Emma, and Rebecca were friends; it made sense for the families to dine together. Only Will was hesitant to eat with this crowd.

Walking out the academy, around town, they made their way to a small empty restaurant. The duke sat at the head of the table, and the duchess to his right. The count sat to the duke's left with his wife by his side. The baron sat next to the duchess. Rebecca sat next to her mother; Alice sat near the end of the table next to Rebecca. Next to the countess sat Emma and Emilia, and towards the end of table sat Elizabeth. Will sat at the end of the table, with Alice to his left and Elizabeth to his right.

As Will sat, he felt déjà vu. He realized he had been to his shop before but could not remember when until Anne stepped out to take that tables order. This was Anne's parent's bakery, where they out on their first weekend. Will remember sitting next to Chole as first-year knights got to know each other better. However, Anne did not wave to Will. She addressed the duke, duchess, count, countess, baron, baroness with a deep bow. It was clear she did not want in the least bit to be unprofessional.

Anne's parent's bakery doubled as a eat-in bakery and restaurant, however the restaurant only operated for upscale clients in the evening. Rare was the dinner offered at the bakery, because Anne's mother gained acclaim as chef for the Guidon City Lord, before she was given permission to open her own restaurant. Only guest of the City Lord was said to gain permission to eat at Anne's family bakery.

While the three families sat down to eat, the conversations were segregated. The adults conversed, Rebecca, Emma and Emilia spoke to each other, and Elizabeth and Alice talked to themselves. Only Will seemed left out of all the conversations, which was perfectly fine with him. Will wanted to visit the Guidon Land Office to investigate the coin needed to open a store, now that his midyear exams were behind him and with the winter solstice approaching.

Fermion, like many other medieval kingdoms celebrated the winter and summer solstices, the shortest and longest days of the year. People believed the Goddess Nyx had a one-day pass to leave the underworld to visit her brothers and sisters and would carry the dead back down to the underworld when she returned before sunrise. During the summer solstice they would celebrate Aether's triumph over lesser gods during the Great War. But, Will waned to visit the Land Office before they closed for the winter solstice festival because after the midyear exams students had a three-week break from classes.

The dinner progressed, much in the way social dinners often go. The adults gossiped about kingdom politics and the scandalous affairs of various adults. Rebecca, Emma, and Emilia discussed life after the academy and marriageable prospects; with Emma and Emilia promising to help Rebecca in choosing the best candidate. Alice, Elizabeth, and Will sat quietly, starting and stopping a few conversations.

"Alice you are really a terrific mage," said Elizabeth trying to start a rhythm. As the daughter of a duke, she was well versed in the art of conversation.

"Yeah, I know" said Alice indifferently

"Yes, I was surprised by your [tempest] and [flood]," recognizing Elizabeth's attempt at starting a conversation.

"Thanks…" Alice replied.

"Will you are quite the knight, winning first place at the Knight Academy and second place in the Mage Academy. Girls must be fanning over you," she said dryly playing to Will's ego.

"Thank you, but I am currently not interested in a relationship, I have more pressing plans," Will responded honestly. If he could run out of the restaurant he would.

"Oh do tell," said Elizabeth in quizzically

"Well, I'd like to check on my guild's affairs, since a few guild members will be leaving on quests over the winter solstice," Will said speaking a half truth. He really wanted to go to the Guardian offices to tabulate how much money he earned and add that coin to his allowance. The hope being it may be enough to open a store.

"Yes, my father spoke of your penchant for becoming a merchant. You've made quite the tidy sum with your business as Quartermaster," she replied genuinely

Being caught off guard at this knowledge, Will replied told a half-truth again, "Yes, I'm proud that my scheme saved the guild a bit of coin.

"Your schemed saved the guild coin, by adding it to your coin purse?" she said sharply.

"Well, someone was going to profit, why not me?" Will said honestly

"Why William vont Ballard, I think that's the first honest thing you've said," Elizabeth spoke with mockingly.

"Well my apologies for keeping my intentions undervest. You can never be too sure who to trust," Will said returning the derision.

During Will and Elizabeth's conversation, Alice sat eating her food unobservant, deaf to the conversation.

"Miss vont Whitby, please let me congratulate you on your healing aptitude," said Will trying to change the subject.

"Thank you, but it is a pity we can't cure people's usurious personality for coin," she said continue to mock Will

"I'm surprised to hear that from the daughter of the Finance Minister," said Will returning the jab.

"Why is that? My father being Finance Minister is preciously why I dislike greed," she replied honestly.

"I'm sorry that you find greed, usury, and avarice so unappealing; I like them very much," Will replied, starting to get upset by her moralist sermon

"How sad, and here I thought your publicly announced moralist values were real," she said rebuking Will.

"Yes, it's a pity that only I am honest. Honest enough to acknowledge being a moral hypocrite like the rest of humanity. People who don't realize their hypocrisy are not only lying to others, worse they are lying to themselves," Will replied with his own sermon.

After finishing her meal, Alice finally said, "you two talk too much!"

Listening to Alice's statement, Will and Elizabeth ate in silence, glaring at each other periodically before returning to eat.

Waiting for dessert, the table quieted down. Noticing the quiet shift, the countess took the opportunity to ask the duchess whether Elizabeth was engaged. Lamenting that Alice had not gotten any serious offers due to her quiet nature and lack of etiquette. The countess immediately, chimed that Elizabeth had a fair number of suitors. Hearing this caused Will to choke on his drink and Elizabeth to eye him suspiciously. The baroness cut in, by saying after the mage duels, Will had gotten quite a few suitors as well. Will, hearing his mother discuss his future nuptials caused him to once again choke on his drink. Seeing Will choke, the table laughed at his misfortune.

Will and Elizabeth immediately worked together to get their mothers to discuss their older sisters' engagements and to leave them in peace. Laughing the mothers agreed. The duchess and baroness seeing their embarrassed children changed the conversation. The countess sighed that Alice couldn't even get embarrassed and wondered what was wrong with her daughter.

Thankfully, the dinner concluded not long after the dessert. The parents walked their children to the front gate of the Mage Academy, since it was night, in the cool winter wind, before seeing children off with hugs and promises to return at the end of term.

Once inside the door, the path forked leading the girls to their dorms, and Will to his master's house. When Will returned to the cottage it was dark and there were no lights on in the cottage. Will quietly opened the door and planned to go upstairs making little noise not to wake-up Elder Thaddeus, but instantly a light came home, and Will heard "congratulations!"

At the table, was Elder Thaddeus and Elder Li, and a table filled with presents. Will was surprised.

"Well done boy," said Elder Thaddeus smiling proudly

"Yes, your hard work was evident. Felicitations!" said Elder Li

"Thank you, I had no idea. Had I known I would have excused myself from dinner and came here sooner," replied Will astonished at his gifts.

Will set down at the table, and watched Elder Li pour, Elder Thaddeus and him a cup of tea. He looked at the small rectangular boxes and smiled. His parents, Guild Master Rolf, the library staff, both headmasters, Sarah, Guidon City Lord Timothy vont Alms, Duke Whitby and several nobles all had sent small gifts.

Elder Thaddeus, Elder Li, and Will spoke and laughed about the duels while Will opened present after present. Many of the presents were Aether pills and herbs. Only his parents and Duke Whitby gifted him something different than pills and herbs. His parents gave him clothes. Duke Whitby sent him 20 gold coins. The last present was from Elder Thaddeus, his gift was by far the heaviest, inside were 100 grand gold coins.

Will was stunned, he had never seen so much money. 100 grand gold coins equaled 10,000 gold coins. Will's eyes began to water but refused to cry. With 100 grand coins, what could Will not accomplish? His money problems, for the time being, would be solved. He found peace, the peace he was looking for since being transmigrated into this world. Elder Thaddeus, his master, had bought Will's undying gratitude. Elder Thaddeus could see Will's happiness, his joy, his peace from his eyes. Even though Will did not speak, his eyes told of his eternal appreciation.

"The money the king awarded me, I decided to gift it to you, my disciple, who I believe will accomplish something miraculous!" Elder Thaddeus said with youthful eyes of dreams long forgotten but held hope.

Will bowed his head and replied, "Master thank you for your investment." Will had his first investor, and he would make sure his master earned dividends.